Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting Sets Focus on Topical Treatments, Technology

The Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) Annual Meeting, taking place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from July 11 to July 15 will feature numerous speakers, sessions, and discussions surrounding the care of dermatology in children, from newborns through adolescents. This includes sessions focusing on topical therapies, corticosteroids, misinformation, and artificial intelligence (AI) and their places in dermatology practice.

The conference will start on July 11 with sponsored advisory boards and a welcome reception before the bulk of the content commences on July 12. There will be an official welcome before doctors from around the world present their research and talk about different topics that are important in the pediatric dermatology space.

The Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting will focus on different treatments for children with skin diseases | Image credit: Piman Khrutmuang - stock.adobe.com

One session that will signify a start to the bulk of the meeting is “The Use of Systemic Corticosteroids in Pediatric Dermatology.” The session will be led by Jen Miller, MD, attending physician for endocrinology, Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and will cover the use of corticosteroids, especially when it comes to skin disorders like psoriasis and dermatitis that have responded well to corticosteroids in the past.

Nonsteroidal topical therapies are also prevalent in dermatology and will get a spotlight on Saturday with a session led by Nnenna Agim, MD, a dermatologist at North Dallas Dermatology Associates. The session, “Update on Non-Steroidal Topical Therapies,” will provide an overview on how these therapies can be used in pediatric patients and any updates to the therapies or treatment methods.

AI will take the spotlight during another session on Friday entitled “Can ChatGPT do my Job? And Other Questions for AI.” The session will be led by Albert Yan, MD, FAAP, FAAD, pediatric dermatologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With the ongoing development of AI by various companies, including Google, it is important for doctors to be aware of what AI is capable of and how it could be used in conjunction with their regular methods of diagnosis and treatment.

On the similar topic of technology, Timothy Caulfield, JD, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta, will lead the session “The Misinformation Crisis: How Did We Get Here and What Can We Do?” In the age of technology being at all of our fingertips and with AI technology often providing incorrect information, cutting down on misinformation in the medical community can help parents to understand the methods of treatment available for their child without confusion being introduced.

Biologics will also receive their own spotlight on Sunday with the session “Challenges in Biologic Therapy: Vaccinations, Complications, and Treatment Nuances.” The session will be led by Stephen Humphrey, MD, a dermatologist from Medical College of Wisconsin; Michele Ramien, MD, dermatologist at Alberta Children’s Hospital; and Elaine Siegfried, MD, pediatric dermatologist at St. Louis University. As biologics become more popular in the treatment of skin diseases, learning about their applicable uses and what the possible cons are can help dermatologists pick which treatment method is best for their patient.

The conference will conclude on Sunday, July 14, after 3 full days of conference sessions and education in the pediatric dermatology space. Make sure to visit The American Journal of Managed Care^®'s dedicated conference page for coverage starting July 13.